title: Oral contraceptives and coronary artery atherosclerosis of cynomolgus monkeys.
abstract: Studies of both human and nonhuman primates show an inverse relationship between high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol concentrations and coronary artery atherosclerosis. For this reason, there has been concern that the HDL cholesterol-lowering effect of oral contraceptives might exacerbate coronary artery atherosclerosis. We studied three groups of adult female cynomolgus macaques fed a moderately atherogenic diet: a control group, a group given ethinyl estradiol and norgestrel, and another group given ethinyl estradiol and ethynodiol diacetate. Norgestrel and ethynodiol diacetate, co-administered with ethinyl estradiol, lowered the plasma concentrations of HDL cholesterol. However, the extent of coronary artery atherosclerosis was lessened by both contraceptives, especially among females at high risk based on their plasma lipid profiles.
authors.affiliation: Arteriosclerosis Research Center, Bowman Gray School of Medicine of Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
authors.forename: T B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Clarkson
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Shively
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Koritnik
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Kaplan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D003277:Contraceptives, Oral, Combined / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003280:Contraceptives, Oral, Synthetic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004036:Diet, Atherogenic; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019304:Ethinyl Estradiol-Norgestrel Combination; D005040:Ethynodiol Diacetate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008252:Macaca fascicularis; D008970:Molecular Weight; D009644:Norgestrel / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D003277:Contraceptives, Oral, Combined; D003280:Contraceptives, Oral, Synthetic; D004338:Drug Combinations; D008055:Lipids; D009644:Norgestrel; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol; D005040:Ethynodiol Diacetate; D019304:Ethinyl Estradiol-Norgestrel Combination; C021601:SC-11800 EE; D002784:Cholesterol